Here am, I Send Me
by Ark12
Summary: It was the mission of a lifetime; one he'd stop at nothing to complete, no matter how many years it took, how many lives it cost, or how many bridges he'd have to burn in the process. Often it is the greatest heroic deed that is never spoken.
1. Never Die

The sun burned down, peering from behind the blue veil of a cloudless sky, washing the parched desert wasteland in a brilliant white light. The resultant glare rose off the flat sun charred surface of the Earth in a wet shimmer of blistering heat, filled the gaps between cliff faces and the solitary outcroppings of ancient limestone that were the areas sole distinguishing features. The sharply etched monoliths of rock and stone that dotted the land stood erect and forever unmoving underneath the blazing heat of the sun casting titanic shadows over the landscape and bathing the land below in a daylight false darkness.

It was there among those archaic sentinels carved within the face of one of the great mountainous outcrops, barely visible even to the most trained of eyes, an entry way could be found leading to a destination mostly unknown. Pillars sculpted into the ancient mountain stone supported the partial roofing of aged ceramic shingles that held cover over the steps to an opening into the depths of both rock and earth.

Purposely hidden, weathered, and left unkempt its dusty entrance provided a path to a single corridor that stretched long and far and deep beneath the planet. So far that the eternal whipping of the desert winds faded to little more then a memory and the incurable amount of sand and dust that settled upon every surface ceased to be a problem.

The deep passage was dimly lit by a series of small chakra infused seals of lighting that were scattered along the ceiling in uniformed succession. Each was separated a meter and a half apart from the last, illuminating the treacherously deep corridor in a bored shade of faded white that mixed with the acrid air; reflecting off the dirty and smudged tiles on the floor the contaminated light would filter and reflect outward shading the dank corridors in a fouled green hue.

The air within was hot, heavy and oddly tangible, bearing down on any trespasser. Like an invisible blanket seemingly wrapping itself around a passerby, casting an unseen weight on their shoulders and saddling them with a newfound sense of unease that grew in its magnitude the further one continued. The air tasted of chemicals. Of what origins; a task even an Inuzaka would fail at. Too much used, too many tested; each and every one of them as deceptively deadly as the lingering scents that wafted through the fragile air in the room, burning the sensitive lining of the nose when inhaled. With reckless abandon and maddening science to justify their use they contaminated the air; a translucent film that soiled the skin and aroused the darker thoughts of the imagination.

This was the Northern Hideout, satellite campus of people of the Hidden Sound village. The name itself seemed strangely taboo to those who knew of its existence. More so to those who had the terrible misfortune to catch a glimpse of the terror which it withheld from the world. It was those truths buried within the core of the earth, hidden behind faceless walls and monstrous cliff sides that scarred the minds of those who had the unfortunate luck of peering within its mighty hollow.

It is within the depth of the mountain, far from sight, under the guise of refuge; forever forgotten, yet never truly known to begin with that a room was carved and a single door stood.

**(xXx)**

These dreams would be the death of him…

_"You know that once you undertake this mission you are sworn to a lifetime…"_

His eyes slowly opened as the tumultuous event known as 'dreaming' began to calm, the last shredded images and un-synced audio coming to a slow as his mind began to settle. The events of the past rolling themselves slowly to a stop as the mental fog that had settled in began to dissipate

_"I understand now… I understand everything…"_

It had been a while…a long while since…then?

...

When?

He cringed as a sharp pain suddenly streaked its way across his mind. Thinking…to think…to think was to be in suffering was all he could surmise as he rested his head back against the wall.

_"That dream of yours…will…fruition…"_

He turned his head to his side, his weary eyes barely observant, taking in the darkness around him before the muscles in his neck gave way to the weight of his head as it came crashing down slowly before halting and his head landing softly against the cool metallic touch that embraced his heated flesh sending a calming euphoria through him as his tired eyes slowly closed themselves once more.

_"Yes…Hokage…"_

It was warm, the air dry, arid, as he took a shaky breath in before releasing it was a pained exhale. Though his eyes were closed and his mind teetering on the fine line of a mental coma he could still sense the environment around him. It was a byproduct of his ninja training; sensei had once told him:

_"The environment isn't always what it seems. Never fully trust your senses less you be deceived and your life forfeit. Feel the environment and look underneath the underneath."_

He'd brushed it off at the time barely listening as he filed it away in the back of his mind. His sensei may have thought him a fool and ignorant of the fact, but truth of the matter was he had already known as much. It was too basic, too obvious not to know. It was a cardinal rule, if you will, that was preached to him since the day he'd been passed the mantle of Shinobi.

That glorious day…

_"…we have embraced you…you have become our…"_

He winced as another bout of pain ripped its way through his head. The harder he thought and what little he began to remember, the hotter the white flashes of pain branded itself on his brain, scorching the very folds of his mind with a blistering sting.

_Shinobi_, his mind rolled the term over in his fatigued state. Though his body was shutting down he came to the realization early on in life that his mind took its time to follow suit.

What did the term mean to him? Was this experience, this occupation worth the mental and physical anguish he was currently undertaking? The dedication of mind, life, body and soul to a thankless profession; where your life became nothing more then a number; a statistic for the village to govern and use at their own discretion.

Was it worth it? Was he worth it?

_Am I?_

He was beginning to hyperventilate as the fragility of life began to settle in and the full scope of his actions slowly began to come back to him.

The presence of his own mortality

A thin sheen of sweat formed at the top of his brow, his muscles tweaked and spasm in pain and the heaviness of his temporarily forgotten exhaustion once more began to settle in.

_Training…training! Remember your training!_

_Breathe…breathe…breathe…calm down…_

He had walked this line before. The tight rope of decision; held his life in the palm of his hand; balanced his soul on the tips of his fingers. They were mortal effects, he had come to realize, possessions meant to be kept safe from the harshness of his chosen profession. And yet with the reckless abandon of a child and the callous ease of a trained professional he thrust them into the forefront of danger.

_Deep breath in…exhale…slowly…_

_Yesss_…his mind resounded in turn, answering the lingering doubts and smothering it under the weight of his conviction that came to him in scattered bits and pieces at a time…

His conviction…

What was it again? He could've sworn that he was missing something…Something big…his purpose… Yet the more he probed the delicate outlay of his mind the more the gentle throbbing in his forehead began to make itself apparent. Slowly, at first, the pounding began to increase in a multiplicative manner of great fervor as his continual meditation on the subject did little in terms of solving the mystery and relaying him an answer he already knew yet couldn't recall. In its stead his journey to realization earned him nothing more then a partial memory here and a faded thought there and little else aside from the painful reward of a bone splitting ache that divided itself down the center of his skull…

A face...

A name...

A deed...

A purpose…

The more he probed the deeper the blister on his mind seemed to ache as an agonizing void of pure mental synapse failure ripped and clawed at the delicate flesh of his brain, a condition he knew could be counter productive.

He focused on his breathing…

_Training…! Remember!_

He wanted to let his arms fall to his sides. He wanted to lie down on his back and rest but the clamp on his neck and the vice on his wrists restrained him from such comforts. He could lean himself to the side, almost resting his head on his shoulder before the slack in the short chain tightened and would extend no further.

But he didn't seem to care…the chain around his neck, the vice around his wrists and the large empty room in the darkness. No…his eyes came crashing down as his mind and body once more began to shut down…

No more thinking…no more thinking…

_"Finish them…"_

These dreams would be the death of him.

**(xXx)**

Kabuto strode the barren halls with a repetitious knowing. His steps were fast but unhurried; confident in their stride, knowing full well the out lay of the labyrinth that housed some of the more 'vile' beings this planet would never dare hope to see.

Creations…whether by malfunctions in the natural process or mechanical pestering of human hands; vile was the only term fit enough to describe the beings that were locked away within this mountainous retreat of the Sound.

He had been here a thousand times over the course of his servitude under his serpentine overlord's vigilant gaze, an overseer of sorts. Aside from being the recognizable second in command amongst the hierarchy of the Sound, he was first and foremost the chief of medical operations and developmental studies aside from his clandestine operations within the walls of the Hidden Leaf itself.

_'So formal,' _he mused pondering over the title as his near noiseless descent into the northern hideout took its final turn.

Yakushi Kabuto had overseen every operation (if they could be called that) on every 'patient', once again another term to be used lightly, that the lord Orochimaru's twisted mind had devised as well as some of his own individual experiments.

From the extravagance of the disease and study of one of Orochimaru's more favored subjects in the last dying scion of the Kaguya in Kimimaro. To the sire of the 'juin' curse seal in Juugo; Kabuto had seen one side of terror and delved into its forbidden breast before traversing across the perverse depths to experience the other. It was truly something remarkable and awe inspiring to be apart of, at least in the eyes of deranged and demented.

And yet of all those meant nothing today. Nothing could surmount the potential that had been provided to them just a few short days ago.

His rhythmic pacing stopped, as he gazed now upon a newly furnished cell door in front of him. The large steel barrier was an ominous sight to behold as darks strokes of thick chakra laced ink were etched and purified into various signs and symbols on either side of the seams of the door's frame. Evil restraint seals placed on in a feeble attempt to contain evil should evil happen to awake.

There was a hitch in his throat, his breath fumbling before rolling out from his mouth in a quivering sigh.

Of all the 'experiments', the operations, the evils he had seen come and go, live and die, grow and fester, this one now, the potential that lay hidden behind this door, was something monumentally greater then anything he had witnessed past and present.

Then again, potential was merely scientific hope.

He fished in his pocket for a group of keys, sliding them out and reaching for the barred handle of the cell door. Slowly with a tentative hand he began the unlocking process.

There were six reinforced locks on this particular door. Each massive in its own right taking up a bit more then the size of the average man's hand in width in diameter, they lined the right hand side of the door separated roughly 3 inches from the last in vertical succession.

They were crude in design but effective nonetheless.

A rather overzealous security measure, but then again, it housed a being likened to a god of mythos pending on how one viewed the situation. He took his time, fitting each of the individual keys to their designated slot before turning firmly and listening for the distinct loud, clack, as one portion of the lock would be undone thusly freeing up the next, which would require a completely different key but produce the same result.

It was a rather pointless and mundane task to note Kabuto had mentally thought, fitting in the last key to its socket just below the knee cap, but it provided another docket to a sense of personal worth too him and if nothing more then that was all Kabuto sought to achieve in everything.

Everything…

It was with the final 'click' that the unlocking was done. He firmly gripped the weathered handle with his free hand, placing the keys back within the fold of his pocket, before pulling firmly, easing the weighted monster of a door open allowing for a small glimmer of light to seep in from behind the door and into the darkened chamber of his next celebrated task.

It was the time of confrontation.

**(xXx)**

At first it was the steady chain of clicks and clanks that roused the weary Nin from his dreamless reprieve from reality. These new sights and sounds provided to him were probably ever present before hand but just came to fruition to his body at this moment of reawakening as he slowly tilted his head to the side and opened a single eye, just enough, too see the latest event. His gaze had drifted to the far wall as the metallic locking agents on the door he had previously ignored began to slowly unhinge themselves.

Slowly the gigantic claws that bound the giant door shut unlocked till the final one rocked back into the open position and the door was steadily pulled out of its frame, its noiseless self reverting revealing a rather plain looking young man.

His hair, a dirty shade of whitish grey, was disheveled and unkempt, the bangs of which were only held out of his face by the forehead protector that was strapped firmly against his forehead, supporting his bangs and framing his dull and plain features.

His face was largely indistinguishable, merely one of a man from another place in which he hadn't been and never cared to notice. He was another nameless person that populated the planet with neither fame nor infamy to distinguish it from the rest. The sole defining feature of him was a simple pair of round spectacles; a boring man to look at.

But then a strange sense overtook him…

It was known simply as realization…

He knew this man…his face…

From where though? That thought alone more often then not was enough to send him mind spiraling in disarray had the situation been…normal…but then again now…

It didn't truly matter; but then again…It DID.

His reality was shot and without a moments hesitation or remembrance to what he had done, seen, thought, known or even thought he knew was thrown completely out of the equation.

This was reality…

Panic began to well up in him as his body started to react to his encroaching 'company.' His head no longer as heavy or uninteresting as he soon began to thrash about, his mind focusing purely on one train of thought and the multitude of questions it entailed.

Fear…

Who was this? Where was he? What had happened?

The throaty roar that escaped from the pit of his gut voiced his concern and trepidation as it resonated into a hollow echo within his ears causing the young transient to hold his ground and gaze up at him, his glass covered eyes held just within the shade of the light to cause a thin sheen to reflect upon them, blocking his eyes from view.

His stalwart face, carved of stone, set emotionless as his obvious analysis of him remained unmoving.

**(xXx)**

Kabuto's steely gaze was wired to the sight in front of him. His expression masked the worm of unease that coiled in his gut as he and his gaze remained deceptively unflinching under the fretted scrutiny of the cell's tenant.

He was gazing into the heart of terror itself…for the most part. Its mortal avatar as it should be known, was bound and chained to the wall. Its body draped in frayed and tattered clothing, constricted by a series of solid steel bindings that added more then their fair share of weight of discomfort to his holdings. Each link painted in a chakra enriched ink designed to hold, even if just a fraction, of his power in check should circumstances get out of hand.

A modern day image of 'restriction' as he lay strapped and struggling vehemently against his confines. Each clank of the metal that surrounded him against the cement wall he once laid upon sending an eerily sweet chiming echo resonating off the walls of the room.

Kabuto stole a tentative step, previously in the center of the room, now bathed in the small portion of light provided by the small light bulb overhead, till he came within a breath's distance of his bound guest.

His innards were twisted. A strange sense of fear, awe, and excitement, were wound so undeniably tight in him that the slightest hitch in his breath may cause him to lose any sense of self control he was maintaining at the present moment.

Where to start…

Formalities…

"A fine day today isn't it Naruto?"

**(xXx)**

**a/n**: Its been almost 3 years since I last touched this story, 4 years since I last updated. Just making the rounds and editing. No promises on anything just following my interests as they arise.

**-ark12**


	2. Remembrance Day

* * *

Chapter II

_Remembrance Day_

* * *

_Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster; _

_And if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you._

Friedrich Nietzsche

* * *

Kabuto still remembered the day the human body became his figurative and literal canvas; his consummation.

He'd been a child then, aged somewhere between 6 or 7—it was hardly relevant to be exact anymore—when strife and conflict had besieged his people; the misdeeds of their past finally coming back to haunt them. He'd often recall that fateful evening with a wavering assortment of irrational emotions ranging between the foulest ire of hatred to the queerest inkling of delight.

His mood swings had become notoriously volatile as of late…

Dusk had settled in, the day had been gloomily overcast the majority of the seeing hours, before the heavens finally buckled upon itself and the thunderous warnings of rain were no longer such as the resulting torrent impeded their (his peoples) ill conceived retreat. Trapped now between the towering heights of the mountainous causeway they'd run themselves like the mindless cattle they were straight into the awaiting maw of imminent demise.

Their judgment had been cast. Their fates sealed the moment they dared step out from under the looming shadow known simply as the third Hokage. '_Havoc_' he cried and let slip the dogs of war [1].

And such he did…

Nin from Konoha were well trained ravenous dogs. Their search and destroy mission consuming them; their morality cast to the back of their ill developed mind as the village's glorified propaganda, one that'd been chanted throughout the expanse of their mother's pregnancy, had consumed their mentality and innate ability for free thought.

Brain washed, their infantile minds lost in the sway of an inevitable ignorance, would forever be cursed to bear their forefather's hatred. Fighting for the cause yet not knowing the reasons why. To him it was a pitiful day, each and everyday, yet a duty he accepted with no small amount of apathy when he found himself bearing the grubby souls that'd breached the womb.

To sad, Kabuto would almost mourn the lost souls born unto the scourge of the world, yet there was no room for the shades of compassion to shine through a blackened heart.

No compassion for the bad man.

Their _justice _was professional; their killing efficient. The methodology of Konoha's ninja training wasted no instant on emotion as they systematically emaciated the unsuspecting flocking herd of people in a brutal display of genocide.

The atrocities of his people, he now knew, were beyond the scope of plausible figuring, as numerous as they were despicable; yet in an odd perfunctory manner he'd rationalized their actions. Tallying them up to ancient practices and the shear necessity of hungering men and women on the verge of death and extinction; there had to have been a sins greater then cannibalism committed elsewhere. Or perhaps it was because deep down inside he knew that he too bore the curse of savage yearning for forbidden flesh that lay yet unborn within him. One that came to light when a man's head was severed from its neck and the lightning quick hot splattering of blood slapped across his face. It was only then did the realization hit him. Thicker and more viscous then the contrasting rain water that dribbled its way down his porcelain skinned cheeks; yet altogether smoother and slicker on the skin then mud, peoples blood ran red riverine trails down his face.

He sat huddled over a particular lump of flesh—hidden from general sight beneath the overcast shadows of the mountainous walls of the Kikyo Pass as the dead reproduced themselves in a multiplicative matter of macabre passion as the bodies rose to challenge the heights of the mountains in stature—his hands, his body, his mind, his very soul so totally consumed in his task as tiny fingers dug their way through the ripped and disemboweled entrails of the man he once called 'father'.

Tugging and turning, shredding and pulling apart at the strands of bone and sinew with a zealot's fervor—the Pandora's Box in corporeal form lay splayed beneath him—a grotesque offering of infinite knowledge at the tips of his pre adolescent blood drawn hands. His sense of civility had left him, lost beneath the budding curiousness of a pervasive nature. His body moved to the silent accord of his minds chaotic whispering, delving ever deeper within the newly assumed cadaver's abdominal cavity searching; but as to what he had not the faintest of clue…

…at least not at that time…

He held his hand up above his head, placing it to the dull pulsing bulb of chakra infused light above the cell, squinting as the errant traces of artificial light pierced through the gaps of his fingers and into his eyes.

_Memories…_ he reminisced.

It was a gruesome fascination that gripped him so suddenly and with such vigor that limited rational of his young mind came crashing down utterly into a complete state of comatose bemuse. Lifting the severed viscera to the sky, in an archaic replication of savage pagan worship, he recalled with no small amount of amusement, that he'd no sooner begun to howl at the thundering sky above. Drenched in a pestilent concoction of filth ranging from human blood and bowels to the very muck and grime of the Earth beneath him quivering in a juvenile blood lust and completely shut off to the world around him.

A glorious enthusiasm…

He remembered the man from Konoha that'd found him. Trembling, the man must've thought, from the frigid rain drops that pelted him or perhaps the loss of the entirety of his 'kinsman' the fool had no idea then. In the midst of a thousand dead bodies Yakushi Kabuto had found his purpose.

He'd been enamored in the totality of it all. The body, that body, _his body; _was that how he looked like within as well? Did this string of coiled flesh, he'd lifted the long strand of spongy intestine, wind itself so densely in himself as it did this man? He'd half been tempted to cut himself open right then and there to find out.

Yakushi Kabuto: a savage beast of a man.

* * *

_It's almost time…_

Naruto's eyes slowly fluttered open the moment the familiar clang of the twisted locks began their haggard squeak and racket open. Regaining what little semblance of consciousness that'd been restored, languidly rolling his head into the niche of his right shoulder, groaning in the process as the ever present ache in his neck made itself prevalent in a sharp pain that reverberated throughout the entirety of his body. His tired eyes braced themselves as he squinted out through the obstruction on his head, squinting his eyes to see through the tiny slits and watch the door as it steadily pressed open.

At first there was a blinding flash. A natural born sentinel of light that banished the ever present darkness around him away in an instant; scattering it into oblivion as the wave of artificial light of the outside world pierced both his sights and his mind in the process. The resultant throbbing ache it brought forced him to close his eyes, rejecting the sight of a new day as it blinded him in its suddenness.

But it wasn't new day. A rising sun—a dawning sky, nice thoughts and cheery metaphors would burn the moment they even thought of trespassing in this hell. The light was dead, its usual jovial touch replaced by a frozen gleam as the stuffiness of the unfiltered air in his room was cast out by the sudden rush of cold air from the world outside.

He dared to open his eyes again as he slowly retracted his eyelids, allowing himself to slowly adjust to the suddenness of being able to see once more with light. Naruto was rewarded as his sights were once more nothing but a hazy vision; a marked improvement over white blindness as the fog in his mind too had seemed to clear revealing itself into nothing more then a rough and shaded blur of thought, as he offhandedly became aware of the sound of silent footfalls that'd entered the room.

He'd of smiled had it not been for the sound of silent footsteps. The soft, shallow padding of them as they followed the steady rhythm of a deaf beat in their own silent tempo.

_Tap_…_tap_…_tap_…

Soft and deafeningly silent they echoed off the linoleum tiling, bouncing off the cemented walls with long and excruciatingly drawn out…

_Tap_…_tap_…_tap_…

They held a voice; murderous and deadly they laughed at him as they ricocheted off the walls, each carrying with him a tortured promise. A harsh promise as to what was to come—of the pain.

Naruto scowled as the muscles in his jaws tightened to reflect his obvious displeasure.

He knew their master, remembered their creator.

His body seized in on itself; muscles flexing and tendons straining as his emotions began to seethe. Rolling off him in billows his unchecked rage leaked from his body like a heat induced sweat.

It was him again.

Naruto may have been near blind to the world but could still see the shifting shapes and changing colors as a figure came into view; dancing before him—a kaleidoscope of bleeding colors and blurred lines.

He knew he was there, even if he couldn't quite see him clearly.

He could smell him. That pungent odor of medicinal sterility that pulled at the fine hairs of his nasal passage, stinging his eyes to the point of watering and upturning his settled features into a vicious scowl.

There was only one person, one _man_, whose scent was so distinguishably foul, so undeniably rank that'd ever entered this place to see him with any frequency.

He could feel him now as his arm fell to his side and into his grasp…Skin to skin contact as he felt the _man _begin to molest his arm.

His blood began to burn and course hot red in him. Pulsing, deep raging and unchecked revulsion through the veil of obscurity, restraining his common sense, his logic, his base human sense of reason and unleashing the emotion known simply as 'rage' loose into his blood stream and thought process.

He had become tainted once more. The pain of boiling blood, the memories of the wounds inflicted by him, of ripped flesh had seared itself permanently onto the coils of his mind and fabric of his skin as the haze of his coma began to lift only to be replaced by a simplistic fury, a screaming hatred that was so outlandishly foreign, even to him, but unsettlingly comfortable to his senses.

Naruto never hated—rarely had he housed an ill intention on another person that he could recall against anyone in the past. But if there was ever a time…ever a man that he so desperately wanted to destroy, to obliterate and utterly tear limb from limb it would have been him…

_Captor_…

His vision began narrow as the world began to lose focus, slowing to a maddening walk as his perception of all colors began to fade and bleed into one of bloody crimson. It was subdued at first but began to rear its ugly head the more and more that man made contact with him… That suppressed urge, the quieted instinct that seemed so far from his normal self…

It was crude. It was vicious. It was primal.

His mind went blank as emotion took over and his body began to act on its own accord as the devilish challenge echoed from within his soul as a chanting voice called out deep from within his very soul.

_Kill him!_

* * *

Kabuto had once been told that his eyes belied his nature; that they were an open window that allowed one to peer into the depth of his character and provide the onlooker with a miniscule glimpse as to his true personality, away from the cover of his glasses and the false smile he'd always seemed to wear.

He had ended up killing that man; strangling him with his bare hands as he felt the last fleeting touch of the man's life on the brim of his face before as he gasped for life one last time.

He was 14 years old then…

Kabuto didn't like the realization of being read, knowing that someone could possibly tell what it was that made him tick. So he had to adapt to this new found realization, to strengthen that weakness.

And adapt he would in due time, until the world could now only see what he allowed it to see…

Nothing but a blank façade; an empty canvas in which he would portray what it was that he wanted the world to see…

His eyes had lost any and all trace of typical human vivaciousness, now nothing more then pitted shade of obsidian black. Manikin eyes—dead, blank, devoid of even the most base of emotion as they bore down from his equally vacant visage; a deep sinister smirk found its way etched along the crevice of his lips as a seemingly personal touch to break the monotonous appearance of his emotionless shell and provide just the rarest of a glimpse into the depth of his inner madness.

But a smile?

He didn't know. He didn't care. It was a feeling, a mindset, a sign that he was lost once more in the recesses of his creatively devised universe. Plotting, thinking, scheming, all of which never turned out to be good. At least in what is commonly accepted as the general definition of good. But who was to say what was good and what was evil?

His smile darkened.

Why himself of course. He was good; no questions asked no explanation needed.

It took a _special_ thought process to do what he did these days. Though he had always been the conniver, he'd be a liar, even though he was a consummate one at that, if he said he'd foreseen himself working to these ends in a previous life.

That was until the day he learned what it actually meant to kill a man…

Then two men…then three…and four…five….etc…etc…etc…

And then a woman...

A child...

But that was then and this was now…

Kabuto raced a familiar line, pathing his way through the stream lighted darkness of the near empty room eyes trained, calculating, and ever observant on the stilled form of the one Uzumaki Naruto, a comatose kitten, bound and just as well gagged a breath's distance from him. An exotic and breath taking sight, Kabuto knew as much.

He had a plan, an ideal to execute.

He began to step forward, a deliberate guile in his soft and slow approach as he watched the gentle sway of the boys head as it would lull to one side before slowly turning over to the other.

Kabuto slipped a hand into the small burlap pouch situated just on the other side of his left hip, reaching a silent hand in before retracting it, with him, of all things, a scalpel from its depths. He quickly dropped his hand like a dead weight to his side, drawing a harsh shimmer from the light above as it caught the surface of the immaculate blade before he quickly smothered it within the palm of his hand, obscuring sharpened steel from sight.

He wanted it to be a surprise…Surprises were always a good thing.

The small horizontal slits of opened steel that streaked themselves across the front of the boy's mask served as vents that filtered the hot air of his labored breathing. He waited a moment in the presence of the boys ragged breathing; savoring the touch as it lapped against his brow, ruffling his bangs ever so slightly in their automatic repetition.

Kabuto had not time to waste. Nor did he ponder doing such.

A sneer cut its way across his face, deepening his mad bravado in the darkness of his personal sanctuary.

His actions were swift, trained, and mechanical in their precision as he reached out—grasping the exposed and unbound left arm of the _Jinchūriki_ in his leathered grip noticing without a hint of caution as it appeared the beast turned to regard his notion with a tilt of his head and a low core dredging grunt of disapproval.

He dismissed it…he was out. Way out, anesthesia coursed in lethal levels in his veins, enough so that his bodily fluids were drowned in treacherous torrents of the toxic sludge that would bury an average man six feet under the moment it hit him.

An average man?

Kabuto almost laughed…almost…

_Average…!_

Kabuto had a plan, an ideal to execute. He turned the forearm in his grasp over as he placed the razor edge of scalpel a hair above the boy's tender flesh and skin before hesitating a moment. He eyed his young captive once, before returning to the delicate offering of unscarred flesh before him.

He shuddered, the endorphin release in his blood stream sending a euphoric jolt through his body as he began to salivate and sweat in blissful anticipation. This prospect, this work of his, this joyous work of carving and exploring such an unblemished canvas under the diligence of his own hand and knife was nearly too much to contain. The possibilities, the question, theories, everything was prepared before him offered to him in unabashed grace and purity was causing such a feeling total serenity he was on the verge of hyper ventilating…

As soon as Kabuto had touched him he could feel the gravity of the room change. The air bled hot, raw and unsuppressed 'death' as it leaked off in rabid stands of black and white striations the rained vertically from the floor directly from the boy. This seed of evil was budding; awakening from its forced reprieve into violent retribution.

The young _Jinchūriki_ under scrutiny reacted; a vicious struggle as his arm almost instantaneously began to twitch and tremble against his absent minded hold. It twisted, and squirmed as Kabuto fought to keep its surprising strength in check before all of a sudden the boy's hand shot to grasp something. Its barely restrained flailing whipped around wildly, aiming for anything to tighten its roaming grasp around as his body in turn began to struggle with him carrying with it the white sound noise of steel to steel of metal on metal and the muffled moan of discontent.

A simple task or simple in thought was becoming overly arduous…

Another struggle…

'_As to be expected_,' Kabuto mentally noted as he moved to secure the appendage into his grasp once more.

_Kyūbi_ …

Then there was a surprise.

The room fell in around him as the world faded to black and white…

A jut of strength, a sudden pulse of inhuman ferocity as the forearm in his grasp bulged, repelling him before breaking loose in one swift motion shrugging off his grasp before striking at him aiming for his neck and visibly exposed jugular with an exactness that was to be commended.

Yet Kabuto was seasoned beyond his years, his reaction time vouched for that, as he snapped his head to the side and brought his arm up to block, managing to deflect the assault and allow it to tangle with his shoulder altering the boy's grasp as it smashed down on him, a vice like grip powering down on his collar bone. There was a silent crack, a hiss and change in atmosphere as the _Jinchūriki's_ grasp crushed all that was beneath its grip.

Kabuto's free hand shot up and quickly formed a half ram seal. He channeled what chakra was necessary to the sign held in firm in place in a split second before:

'_Ninpou_: _Fukujuu'_ (Ninja Art: Submission)

His hand burst aflame. A small torrent of whitish-blue consumed his hand in an instant as he skillfully struck at his assailants grip with a deft strike just below the palm of his now crushing grasp.

What followed could only be described as a deafening howl, as the boy's vice loosened its death grip, releasing frayed violet and concealed flesh and bone from his grasp like hot coals as his arm writhed in obvious misery. Twisting and flexing as the scorch marks of fingertips belonging to the young medic nin appeared in searing black just below the junction of where wrist met the soft flesh of the boy's palm.

Then the arm went limp and a soft whimper echoed from the boy. He had been subdued for now…

Kabuto watched in morbid fascination. Gripping his battered shoulder with his free hand, now bathed in a glowing green hue of visible chakra, it slowly began to mend the broken bone and coerce the bruised flesh and coagulated blood to heal.

"A minor set back," he verbally announced as he raised himself from the ground.

"You continue to surprise me…Naruto. Despite some of our more extreme measures to keep your volatile subconscious in check you continue to reject us! Marvelous," he praised as his hand left his mended shoulder before rotating it of its own will to test his work.

Flawless…as always. He raised his hand to adjust his glasses.

A depraved smile…It was time to put theory to the test.

"I think we'll try something a bit…_different_ today."

* * *

There was an echo. A distressed cry that resonated off the walls of the barren halls, ringing out and down through the empty great room and into the darkened foyer before petering out into a harsh whisper. Smothered, smashed, and destroyed by distance.

And then there was another.

A bellowing caw, a mournful plea that raced across the silent corridors once more reeking havoc on emotions as its voice brought with it a cryptic message buried beneath the anguished cry of a tortured soul.

It was a cry for help. It was a cry for mercy. It was a call for a means to an end.

It was like music to his ears.

Orochimaru tread to the rhythm of the echoing cries heard in the distance. As determined as his steps were his stride could barely be heard above a whisper as he passed by through the empty great hall and into the narrow corridors that lead ever deeper into the Northern Hideout.

He had traversed the barren hollows of the hideout countless times in the past, each with a purpose in mind and a goal in sight. Needless to say that despite a twisted sight of optimism things had not always go as they should. He could count the number of times he had been disappointed by the results of his 'tests' and 'subject' upwards into double digits and it annoyed him, greatly, to no end. But today, oh today he had a good feeling today.

A very good feeling…

Juugo was a success to some degree, he noted as a partial glance over his shoulder down the empty hall allowed him sight to the door that housed that ravenous beast. Though he himself was outrageously unstable his 'unique' condition had served, and continued to serve, its purpose well beyond the usefulness of him in general.

'_Juin_,' he thought as a wicked sneer wrapped its way across his face. Perhaps it would be of some further use.

An excited shrill ran down his spine.

Oh the possibilities were endless…

He came to an abrupt halt in front of a massive door. The harsh light above casting deep shadows around him as he stood in its presence.

"But this," he hissed silently sliding his hands against the rigid cold steel frame of a door, tracing its length with a delicate touch…

Another ear shattering howl pierced racketed its way through the thick steel, echoing out and filling the barren halls for a moment before dying down once more into a trail of a vibration…

It seemed Kabuto was busy.

He retracted his hand from the door, stopping suddenly as the unhinging click from within alerted him of its opening.

He backed off, taking a careful step back as acute senses and honed ability made itself manifest once more as he leaned back slowly against the concrete wall folding his arms across the width of his chest as he adopted his conniving smirk; eyeing the door as it stretched itself steadily outward.

A man appeared average in stature and appearance from its hollow.

Silver hair, framed glasses, violet clothing all in one mash of uncoordinated slop exited the room, matted blood drenching him as he subconsciously was removing his glasses and a small cloth to clean them of his daily 'work.'

"Amazing, simply amazing, to think regeneration of this magnitude," he was mumbling to himself seemingly unaware or uncaring to the fact that the blood on his hands did little to reassure his appearance of sanity.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru rasped softly jarring the man from his collected state to quickly stare up at his predecessor. The surprised look on his face lasted for just a moment before dropping off into a blank stare that gazed back at him, sinister black to crazed yellow saffron.

"Orochimaru-sama," he greeted evenly.

With a critical eye Orochimaru observed his charge. "You seem to have heeded my word quite _literally_," he commented nodding to the carnal red that now seeped through his clothing.

Kabuto took in his appearance, looking down at his soiled clothing as he unconsciously began rubbing his hands on the front of his trousers before speaking, "after a day and several hours it became necessary."

"Necessary? How so,"

Kabuto sighed as he turned his eyes to the darkness that filled the void behind him. "In spite of everything we assumed and what we'd thought we knew, it appears that there is even more to the nine tails then can be discerned from a first glance," Kabuto relayed as he fitted his glasses once more atop the bridge of his nose, still not quite clean, "especially in the state that he is in now, case in point the '_contained'_ form."

"And how far off were _your_ assumptions?"

"It's hard to say. The only basis in which I have to work with it what I've seen and experienced. From what you've provided me, Akatsuki had a vision but how to execute it; how to bring out its full potential and transplant it from vessel to willing recipient," his eyes seemed faraway as his ramblings started to become incoherent.

"You're rambling," Orochimaru snapped his eyes hardening; patience a weak suit in this matter. "I didn't take '_him'_ just to have you pleasure yourself in mindless endeavors," Orochimaru stated in as calm a voice as his annoyed tolerance would allow. "Continue to serve your purpose lest I lose anymore of my waning patience by standing here idle," he hissed glaring daggers. "Now tell me… What was overlooked?"

Kabuto sighed as he readjusted his glasses with bloodstained hands, "The Kyūbi _Jinchūriki_ indeed does posses the ability or potential, I should say, to undertake any variety of tasks that we had previously assumed he would be capable of to an almost limitless degree, but transplanting that seed seems to be more complex then was previously thought or should of thought," unconsciously rolling his shoulder as he turned his back on his serpentine overlord, motioning with one hand for him to follow him into the darkness.

"Harnessing that power may still be a possibility but as to how to go about this…Well that is still the uncertainty."

Kabuto ran his hand along the simple seal on the wall pulsing a bit of his chakra in turn as the seal flared red and the over head lights in the room to switch on. Sight came to in the form of a flickering glaze that pasted itself over the blackened canvas in the form of a dead light.

A wave of sadist pleasure rushed over Orochimaru as he gazed at the sight in front of him.

He barely registered Kabuto's movement as he slid forward, his mind, eyes, body and soul instantly enraptured by the atrocious sight in front of him.

"My, my Kabuto," Orochimaru breathed softly though the exhale of a breath, "you are quite the deviant," he remarked as his eyes followed the length of the illuminated walls, painted in streaked tendrils of 'Uzumaki' red that dribbled down its face.

A cruel smirk, "I'll take that as a compliment," Kabuto replied as he pulled a lever and waited a moment before a heavy 'lock' bound out and the clamps around the bound Jinchūriki slowly began to unravel. A viscous liquid slid down the length of the un-cuffed bracer, coating clean steel in an ominous shade of crimson red that pooled beneath the boy.

There was a hint of hesitation in his voice, "you're sure you didn't go too far in your…hmm…testing," Orochimaru asked, watching as the blood of his subject began to spread and coat the stained tiling in its owners life once more, gathering at an alarming rate as its edge almost reached his standing position a mere arm's length away.

"On the contrary, I don't believe I've even scratched the surface as to what 'far enough' is. Naruto passed out faster then I anticipated. I need the boy to be awake and conscious for a majority of my testing so I didn't push too hard today," Kabuto countered as he lifted a hand and lightly rapped it against the metal helm around the boy's head, earning him little more then a dull echoing hum.

"It seems safe to safe Konoha has abandoned some of its 'war time' tolerance training, if you will."

"Konoha," the snake muttered. The name alone left a foul taste in his mouth. He left a sigh in place of his unspoken grievance; it would do little good to retort with some snide remark to a man who shared his passion for hate of the fire country's pride.

He was shaken from his trance by a snap and clank of the metal manacles that latched themselves in a locked position. Kabuto moved in suit from the far wall, placing himself in his prior position next to the now crucified boy with a mangled left arm draped at his side...

"We'll start with the basics," he began reaching in his pocket for the soiled scalpel he had used once before, "Jinchūriki physical capabilities far exceed that of normal men, even at a young age. These accelerated growth patterns and physical exertions are notably seen in traits such as unusual stamina, pain tolerance and or suppression, endurance, strength, dexterity so on and so forth," Kabuto once more grabbed the boy's arm roughly twisting his arm over in hand as to expose the soft un-tanned underside of his forearm, placing the razor sharp utensil to the soft blood soaked flesh just below the tiny scorch mark of his previous jutsu use that was now little more then a slightly discolored patch of skin.

"But if we sever the tendons," he hissed as he then pressed the razor edge steel against the length of the boy's wrist slowly rending tender flesh under it before viciously pulling back deeply severing both vein and tendon. Sanguine trails spurt out from the calculated gash, slipping down into the boy's palm, following blood soaked trails of trials face earlier.

A muffled whimper could be heard as Naruto shook in his bindings. Appendages bound he could do little more then moan his discontent and glare unbridled hatred as he slowly came too from his forced slumber.

Orochimaru's gaze drifted from the pleasurable sight of tortured flesh to the helmed face of the victim with a malicious sneer as he bared his sharpened teeth.

Kabuto was quite the underling.

"Ah it has begun watch now Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto urged as he held the severed wrist of the boy up for the snake to observe.

Orochimaru eyes returned back to their former before widening considerably to cover his shock as the sneer on his face deepened to accommodate his growing satisfaction.

"Yessss…This…this is it!"

His wrist, Uzumaki Naruto's wrist, was mending itself by will alone. Stretched and sliced skin pulled itself together, weaving delicate lines to cover exposed vitals leaving nothing more then a light scar where severed skin and running blood had been present.

"Are you sure this is the Kyūbi's doing?"

"I am 100% positive."

"How can you be so sure," the sannin queried at his protégé's smug assurance.

Kabuto allowed himself a smirk as he grasped Naruto's wrist a bit tighter and placed his other hand on the boy's elbow, gripping him firmly.

"There is only a handful of regenerative _Kekkei_ _Genkai_ documented, though I'm sure there are more, in the world and I, for one, have serious 'doubts' that our young Naruto-kun came into such a blessing in spite of being just a mere orphan" he began as small gleam of chakra began to filter its way into his thumb and onto the boy's skin. "Aside from the fact that normal cellular mitosis is relatively slow, this fact applies doubly for the repairing of damaged cells to the bones, joints and ligaments. Complete skeletal reconstruction from a fracture or break takes the average human anywhere from several weeks to several months to recover fully and restore to adequate strength."

The snake sannin watched with an amused eye as a small hue of chakra surrounded the hand Kabuto had place on Naruto's left elbow.

"And now if we can just find the right angle," Kabuto began as his left hand clenched Naruto's wrist tightly as his right re-gripped several times on the exposed elbow joint before securing itself one last time. "We just apply the appropriate pressure and," Kabuto grunted the last bit for emphasis before he wrenched his hands in opposite directions, raising his sharply as he applied a crippling amount of downward force on the weakened angle at Naruto's wrist.

And another bone chattering roar resounded through the room.

The sudden motion had the desired effects as a sickening pop and a resounding crack could be heard as Naruto's left arm was forcibly bent and broken, his forearm hanging at a 90 degree angle below his elbow. The radius and ulna bones of his forearm had ungraciously sliced its way through his skin, splintering the flesh and exposing the fractured crimson coated tips once connected to his elbow.

"I'd wished to try a direct feed of foreign chakra into his system as it is undeniably painful and brutally effective; yet almost impossible to manage let alone accomplish for someone like myself."

"I remember Ibiki always was fond of a particular Hyūga prodigy's Jyūken abilities coupled with the _Byakūgan's_ ability. The pain he was able to manipulate through openly targeting the chakra circulatory system was said to be a very unique brand of pain."

"Yes but physical pain through chakra manipulation is also in a league of its own when it comes to pain inflicted. I would reason that it may be even more effective in terms of 'pain caused' then openly attacking the system itself."

Orochimaru nodded but was listening to little as his gaze was trained not at the sight of exotic bodily mutilation but at the tortured boy's head as it snapped back out of a delirium, unleashing with it a blood curdling scream of pure agony at its core.

"Here we go his arm is," Kabuto's words were drowned in morbid fascination as the severed skin on Naruto's arm stretched itself from the severed opening where the bones had spliced the skin; reclaiming the flagrant part of his anatomy and assimilating it into himself once more, as the protruding bones began to slide back within the his arm. Snaking and quivering under the superficial lairs of his dermis they stretched and contorted in length as his arm lifted itself back into place, realigning the broken connection and restoring his arm back to its proper state.

"Perfect skeletal reconstruction," Kabuto lavished as he gripped the boy's arm once more, "normal functionality of the limb is restored," he continued as he moved the arm through the basic motions of flexion, "and stronger then before."

"Stronger then before," Orochimaru hissed in obvious amusement.

"Yes, an odd quirk in his unique regenerative abilities where the cells are fortified with the newly laced chakra provided from the fox."

"My now Kabuto," Orochimaru stated softly watching as the boy began to wrench and thrash his head against the back of the cell wall; smashing the steel on his head against the stone at his back. Noting as the sweat that now drenched him made visible the larger veins and arteries bulge from their rested state to accommodate the, undoubtedly pounding beat of his stressed heart, mind and soul. "A mere child," Orochimaru whispered reaching a seemingly tentative hand to the front of boys face touching the fringe of the metal case that subdued his every thought and power. He made to cup his cheek, an affectionate gesture as he mockingly caressed the rattling steel that raged negative emotion in his grasp… "And yet your torment echoes of a man," he sneered.

"I'm not quite sure exactly how extensive this regenerative property is, but just by judging the rate of cellular mitosis it'd be safe to assume that limb regeneration may be a possibility—nothing extreme, though I do doubt it's possible, I don't think this type of chakra is creative in nature."

"Kabuto," Orochimaru interrupted once more watching and listening as the boy's struggles began to fade into haggard breaths and a heaving chest.

"Ah right what 'was wrong with him'. I have the preliminary observations on file right now but I think a more thorough examination is till needed before I can give an accurate profile on…"

The sannin waved his hand, a gesture which simply meant 'silence', as he peered into the eyes of the devil before him, the flickering red to blue or his iris sending a sensual jolt of perverse sadistic pleasure through his spine as his eyes widened briefly to accommodate the trickle of adrenaline into his blood stream.

"Show me the extent of the boy's…healing."

* * *

He no longer had the energy for words that'd fall on deaf ears—only the incessant cries and fading screams that his body allowed him were left.

He could feel them…Everything they did.

When he'd broken his arm once…and then again…and then his leg… Fire ran rampant up and down his arm each time; hot and untamed heat that exploded in him severing his bond with reality each time as agony made itself a cot in his mind.

It hurt.

More then hurt.

But he persevered. He had to.

But for what?

…_k…_

What was he doing?

Hokage?

Sakura?

Konoha?

That pain again…

Darkness…

…_ki…_

Crying…

Screaming…

Yelling…

Gnashing…

…_kil…_

But never begging…

Never submitting…

What would he do...

…_kill…_

What could he do…

What was it…

The pain was something not born of this world.

_Destroy them_…_Limb from limb…Kill…_

There was a welling from within…His vision was tunneling…

_Kill…them!_

A dark summons as the pained touch of unconscious grasped his mind and beat him into a restless submission.

Seething hatred…

_Kill…them!_

His will was not to be done…

_Kill…them!_

There was a stirring from within…

Evil…

Then darkness and the company of the ever present whisper…

_Kill them! All of them!_

* * *

_a/n_:

[1] This is a direct quote taken from Shakespeare's _Julius Cesar _circa 1601. I take no credit for this line or its creation only its implementation in regards to this fiction.

_Terminology/Jutsu Information_

_**Ninpou: Fukujuu**_(Ninja Art: Submission): The quick assimilation of chakra to the tip of the index and middle finger that is roughly analogous to the Hyūga Jyūken in theory but rather brash and unrefined in terms of execution (lack of the Byakūgan is the main reason this technique is unrefined or base) that is forcefully jutted into the target with a resultant consequences resulting in a deadening of the target areas nerves, tendons, muscles, and so forth for a duration of time based on the amount of chakra used in execution and the general physical state of the victim.

**-Ark12**** -**


	3. All is Violent, All is Bright

* * *

Chapter III

_All is Violent, All is Bright_

* * *

"_The darkest souls are not those which choose to exist within the hell of the abyss, but those which choose to break free from the abyss and move silently among us."_

_Halloween (2007)_

* * *

_Wretched…disgusting…filthy creatures!_

Naruto had long since forgotten when he first heard the desperate whisperings of 'the voice'. The soft echoing whisper that'd often sifted its way through the maelstrom that was his unconscious mind. Settling upon him when his mental guard was weakest, the chinks in its defense exposed.

_Each and every one of you…_

As ignorant as a fly to light, would he allow himself to seek out its presence, too indulge in its false embrace, turning a blind eye to the calamity he knew it brought in tow. But he wanted it, if only for the briefest of a moment, to allow himself peace amongst the depressing solace of the darker, more sinister side of his own thought and emotion.

It was an ominous presence, one that carried with it a tremendous weight and pressure yet lay invisible to his minds eye—a proverbial fog if one were to describe it. He knew it was there, could literally feel the sickening sensation of 'something' as it rolled over the inner depths of his mind yet could never quite grasp no matter how hard he tried. Like the wind it was ever present, constantly tempting him with his thoughts and darker desires, urging him to take hold of the forbidden fruit and taste the knowledge held within its sinister nature.

_But you…you are different…_

It withheld nothing and gave nothing in return. Time and time again, when the world around him had finally caught up to him and the present was no longer frozen in place did he notice that something within him was steadily been siphoned away in spite of his consciousness.

Joy, freedom, humanity, all of it had seemingly begun to slip through his feeble gaps, descending beyond recovery into the small crevices of oblivion, vanishing from sight only to be replaced by the most unfounded sense of a maddening depression.

I_'ve seen…your endless suffering….I've seen your torment….I see your rage…_

And then like a thief in the night it would vanish. As quick as it had come, would it retreat back into the depths of his soul and allow for his sanity to reel in his wayward conscience from the pit of despair.

_It is time…_

But not now...no, recently it had changed and it was with him always…

As was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to Adam and Eve did the voice within to him bode to be an eternal temptation and something to be reverent of he knew as much. Often, time and time again in the past he'd spend countless days, dusks, early evenings and sleepless nights before his induction into the Shinobi fold deep in thought when the temptation, the voice, was most silent. In his solitude he would wander the depths of his being seeking out that which he knew was immoral and potentially corrupt.

_Murder them…_

Often locked away and huddled in a corner of his dilapidated keepings he would appear to be absent mindedly staring out into the sky, yet his soul was searching franticly for a glimpse of the evil that lurked within.

_Kill them, destroy them, maim, rip, cut, break… Kill, Kill, KILL!!!_

Naruto had asked the old man a few times before; discreetly at first, camouflaging his concerns in the form of questions procured from the writings of some of the more mentally unstable and misguided Shinobi authors and publicist before becoming bolder in his subtle interrogations. Although he had gained little, what little he learned he kept to heart and pursued with a wanton desire.

Only once had the old man relented.

"Bear with it Naruto," the Third would say, "be steadfast, stalwart in your conviction, for the world will come to you in due time and soon you will bask in all the glory and thanks in which you rightly deserve," his eyes were softer then, his voice a soothing constant that eased his inner calamity, "we owe you as much at the very least."

And then the venerable Hokage spoke no more of the subject ever again.

_Our time has come again..._

And then all was silent…

* * *

_**Date**__: Incarceration Day 007_

_**Attending Physician(s):**__ Y. Kabuto_

_**Patient**__: JUN09K – Jinchūriki (U. Naruto)_

_**Pre**__**procedure**__**Examination**__**Parses**__:_

_The boy's cells are highly metastatic, a.k.a malignant in nature. While the nature of his cells is cancerous, characterized by uncontrolled growth, it should be equally noted that they are much more potent than previously theorized and recognized. Documented below is a sample size consisting of two simple procedures and their resultant outcome_

_**Procedure**__: Allograft (skin transplant) and Blood transfusion_

_Allogeneic skin grafting procedure involving the host (Patient Id: JUN09K – U. Naruto of Hi no Kuni hereby referenced as host) to recipient host (Patient Id: 174a – Shuuya of Iwa herby referenced as recipient) took place with the removal of surface skin layers reaching no further then than the superficial layer of epidermis above the left bicep._

_**Medications**__: None_

_**Allergies**__: None_

_**Family History**__: N/A_

_**Social History**__: N/A_

_**Vital Signs**__: Blood pressure is 112/70. Pulse is 46. Respirations 18. Afebrile._

_**Procedure**__: 4x4 inch skin graft from the host's left bicep transplanted to the recipients left bicep._

_**Results**__: The skin graft took immediately from host to recipient at an astonishing rate. The speed at which the superficial layer of the epidermis took to the graft was estimated at 15 seconds from placement to immediate reconstruction by the cells themselves, upon first observation, without any outside stimulus (sutures were deemed unnecessary)_

_It was within 5 minutes after the graft had taken to recipients body type did the 'Host's' dermis cells reveal themselves to be wildly malignant causing unprecedented cellular death and decay rate compounded with the rapid rate at which the infectious host cell's spread throughout the body which ultimately lead to the death of the recipient. Documented time table observation of the degradation of the recipient:_

_**05:00**__ - The recipient's body displaying early symptoms of an apparent rejection of the host's skin graft…_

_**05:15**__ – Bruising around the graft site readily apparent, subject appears to be in pain_

_**05:35**__ – Apparent 'bruising' is more then just dead blood cells but rather everything within proximity of the graft site has either died or in the process of dying. From the superficial lair of skin down to the bone all cell tissue has begun to liquefy, bloat, and distend the entirety of the left arm and is continuing to spread. _

_**05:50**__ – Left half of the face is infected, recipient still responsive, in pain. Left arm has decayed, putrefaction set in…_

_**05:55**__ – Recipient has gone under a presumed __**Hypovolemic **__**Shock**__ from the large quantity of blood now pooling under the operating table then again it may possibly be __**Septic**__** Shock**__ as well seeing as the face has been engulfed by the 'parasite', infection still spreading…_

_**05:58**__- Recipient pronounced dead at 1857 P.M. on the 16th day of the 1st month of calendar year 151 A.A.I_

_**Blood Transfusion**_

_Recipient 2x (Patient Id: 161c – Hibiki of Suna) pronounced dead at…. Apparent **__**Hyper**__** Acute **__**Hemolytic **__**Reaction**__ to the host's blood type in spite of the fact that the host was deemed a universal donor…_

_Patient ID: JUN09K – U. Naruto's blood type herby reclassified from universal donor blood type O negative to hazardous condition type U-1…_

* * *

"This is all I have for the two of you today," a rather boorish looking female issued as she tossed a black dossier flippantly before a pair of gritty looking, but rather young sound nin.

"What's it going to be this time," Zaku was the first to speak as he reached to grab the file with his bandaged left arm, plucking the black folder up from off the table and flipping it open to examine its contents.

"Inmate transfer," she replied adjusting the thick rim of her designer glasses on the bridge of her nose ever watching as the two vultures hawked over the file, "you and Dosu are to accompany me for chakra signature identification and then are up for an inmate transfer down to the segregation block when I'm done with the kid there," she nodded her head toward the file.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to die a little bit, what little mockery of joviality instantly taken down by her emotionless tone of voice and declaration of the new task at hand for the teenage duo.

"This is rubbish," Zaku lamented, snapping the folder shut in his hands before tossing it to his counterpart, "can't you do this yourself? Is it that necessary to take us, why not some other random shit head doppelganger stored away in this rotting hell hole?"

Zaku had hard eyes, pitiless orbs of the darkest black the belied no emotion, a physical trait he had developed at an early age as a street rat on the backwater roads of a nameless village, Karin knew he had little patience, if any, for triviality but she had no choice in the matter, least none she dared voice.

"I can almost sympathize with your frustration but seeing as how you both just completed the preliminary test and recovery for your new…'gifts' so to speak, it would do you well to spend less time on training and more on recuperation," she spoke softly as she crossed her arms to drive the point home.

Zaku motioned for another outburst but was halted in his place by the soft grasp of his brown haired partner, "don't worry about it, it's from Orochimaru himself see here," he drawled, speaking for the first time, as he pointed to their Lord's seal on the last page of the document no full well what it meant to the brash teenager, "so no more bickering," he grinned with a crooked smile.

The violent edge to his temper seemed to calm if just a bit, "if it's from Orochimaru then I have no qualm," he reasoned grabbing the outstretched document from his partner and examining it once more.

Dosu's twisted smile and pointed eyes trained themselves from his short tempered teammate and back on to their superior, if only in title, "still this is a rather odd request to ask for a trained escort for what appears to be a rather mundane task, "he asked pointedly, "any details you can spare?"

"If it's not in there then I don't know," she replied running a hand through hair before flipping it back behind an ear, "even I've been left in the dark on this one."

* * *

Somewhere along the series of dizzying headaches, painful lapses into unconsciousness, and the devilish whispering, the driving inclination of pain had stopped yet in spite of any reprieve the ache still remained. A deep rooted, soul dredging, anguishing type of pain had overshadowed his five senses, congealing them into one unwelcome brethren; total agony.

It wasn't supposed to continue hurting. He was supposed to heal. He'd always healed before. Why wasn't he healing? He slowly opened his eyes, inching the burden of his torment steadily up as he began to regain his bearings. He needed to know…

_Ashes to ashes dust to dust!_

He couldn't move much, his mind and body still hadn't fully recovered yet to the point of coherent coordination so he relinquished thoughts of movement and settled for the more subtle nuance of observation and allowed his eyes to be the sole source of his exploration.

Dull shaded hazy blue eyes scanned the world that was present before his unobstructed view, surveying the dim lit ceilings and mildew coated walls that seemed shaded in a faded combination of disgusting greens and putrid yellows. The creviced corners of which were wet and leaking with what he could only hope and assume was water, which neither spread nor fell to the ground but rather remained as an unmoving stain in splotches on the walls around him.

But aside from that there was a definite oddness to his predicament, though that was an understatement to say the least. Aside from the pain, that aching short circuit of nerve endings that slowly ebbed away in the background of his now awoken state, everything else in his environment was different from the one he had become accustomed to for the past few…well, who was to know how long he'd been held captive, he sure as hell didn't. Regardless of the fact it appeared they'd relocated him after he'd fallen unconscious again.

'_A basement?'_

The plumbing above seemed testament enough to the fact, he didn't care, strength seemed to be returning to him, slowly, but surely enough he could feel the warmth of moving blood reaching his once numb extremities. He made to move his arm, easing himself up slowly to a sitting position, wobbly at first before placing down another arm to steady himself using the other to rub the weariness from his sight.

_It's about time…_

His body stiffened, a temporary bout of rigor mortis grasping him, as that deep throated growl resonated through and around him louder than he'd ever heard before. His eyes widened, the hairs on his neck stood on end as the haze lifted from his sight, the veil of dreariness wiped away and his vision sharpened to full alertness…

"…evil," he was sure he'd heard it. A voice, that voice, louder then ever no longer restrained within the confines of his mind. No, that voice wasn't ethereal, a wisp of desperation, it was real, it had body, and it clenched him tight within its grasp as he rolled its call in his mind over and over again.

And he knew it…Knew it by name—but what name was it?

It was becoming a daily mishap for him, discerning whether he had finally snapped, plunging over the metaphorical edge of sanity and down the swirling drain of madness or if something more was present. He must still be sane he would lecture himself, only the sane could question themselves as thoroughly as he. But now he doubted even his own sense of logic and the trustworthiness of his own mind—the walls of his last refuge it seemed were finally beginning to crumble around him, falling into a pit of nothing and dragging him down with it.

_Come find me…_

The maladies of his body and mind fell from conscious, his focus captured by the sudden boorish snarl that echoed to him just moments ago as his body began to move on instinct and pure curiosity. He peered down the dank corridor; the incessant dripping of the leaking piping above now a lost white noise as he fixed his gaze on the only direction available to him in the darkness. It called to him; not literally of course, but that sneaking suspicion, that undeniable sense of human curiosity was tugging at the muscles of his legs leading him further into the suffocating darkness that was lain bare before him.

He followed his frazzled intuition, his legs on auto pilots as he stumbled into the watery hall and continued his daring descent. Surprisingly the path to the destination provided was straight and narrow, neither turning nor confusing, guided by the dirty blurred light that illuminated just several feet in front of him with ever step. It didn't fade on him, never in total darkness was he, but a seemingly perpetual glow surrounded him.

_Closer…closer…_

Naruto's journey was neither long nor arduous but it choked him with a sense of dread that couldn't soon be swept under the carpet. No, it was the ever present companion that tickled the hairs on the back of his neck not soon to relent as he blindly stumbled down the corridors of the abyss; caution thrown to the win as he groped the walls for an assurance he wasn't sure his legs could give.

His task of enlightenment soon came to its apex as soon as he stepped foot into a chamber hall, the walls of which took their leave, spreading out before him, giving him a wide berth as he timidly entered the roaring chamber. The resonating flicker of light that had surrounded him gained fervor as its magnitude spread ten fold and illuminated the darkened chamber in its lack luster glow giving sight to his near blind eyes. It was a large room, beyond large, spectacularly huge but detestably bland in both furnishing and grandeur. He'd expected as much; the prison life wasn't supposed to be overly glamorous. But despite his temporary awe his attention was drawn to the far end of the room which harbored the sole distinguishing feature—a mammoth of a barred cell door was situated at the far end of the colossal room that was every bit as magnificent in size as the room itself; towering above him keeping at bay the light as dread veil of black blocked the view of whatever lay behind that door.

Naruto drew a tentative step forward, the calamity of his mind put on temporary pause as he drew closer to the massive cell before him, noting as air around him changed the closer he approached its base. This unforgiving labyrinth had seemingly changed with each step he dared place in front of the other; from the dead still calm to this now dreadful beating that thumped into and through him. Something was behind the lurking pitch of darkness before him…

"_**See me now…"**_

The voice, the cackle, was like thunder; a heavy boom that shook him from head to toe and immediately sent his body toppling over onto all fours as the pressure of the air weighed down on him as a sudden wave of malevolent chakra poured out from behind the bars and overwhelmed his senses and withdrew what little breath his lungs were already using.

"_**The wall has finally begun to fall once more. It hasn't been long since you and I last looked upon one another…"**_

He dared too look up as a vent of hot air billowed over him, enveloping every nook and crevice around him, swallowing the whole of the room in a rotted and putrid odor that seared his throat and caused his eyes to water at it vulgar invasion of his person. He had the sudden urge to vomit, but withheld his nerve and the contents of whatever lay in his bowel as he raised his head to peer into the chamber before him…

"_**You're pitiful. Look at you, weeping and sick to your stomach. You used to be strong, but now…pathetic…quaking in my presence…Will you be led to death by this…THIS!?"**_

A touch of an encroaching madness was clouding his mind. So undeniably thick was the full on feeling of dread that he could have sworn the shivering sensation, the cold sting that was tracing its way up and down his body, was something more then he could ever possibly imagine.

_"**Oh what I would not do now to consume you're miserable soul right now and banish us both to the burning abyss of hell just to rid me of the shame of this cursed existence!"**_

And it was…he knew it was…He just dared not believe it as the sky came crashing down around him bringing about the blackest of darkness with which the only thing that could be seen was himself and the beast.

"_**If it were anyone else I would revel in this misfortune but not you. You are not an ignorant fool. So allow me to tell you this weary warrior, 'You carry with you the sin of this world.' Do you remember now?"**_

And through the darkness, a pair of gleaming eyes, redder then the reddest of setting suns, revealed themselves to him. A fire of the purest origin seemed to roar in their depths as the titanic shadow within the cell moved ever so slightly and revealed a portion more of its gargantuan stature to him.

"_**That provisional mentor of yours; that mission, it was on purpose you know. He set you up for this pit fall and for what? BAH and now you are behind—yet again."**_

Naruto's hands immediately reached for his head as the voice of the creature within implanted itself within his mind, a deafening howl that threatened his balance as he swayed back and forth on his knees. His vision blurred as he once more regained a semblance of his composure and steadied his weary sights to the beast before him.

"_**Together we will atone for your inability…look at me."**_

The creature smirked, revealing with is a jagged line of sharpened teeth each large and menacing in appearance as a steady film of saliva coated and dripped down the clenched maw pooling ever so steadily beneath them. They parted just a bit as the leviathan within seemed to form something that could only be related to a smile, though just barely.

Naruto's sights narrowed, his vision focusing on the one point ahead

"_**Look me in the eyes HOST!"**_

* * *

_**Date**__: Incarceration Day 021_

_**Attending Physician(s)**__: Y. Kabuto_

_**Patient**__: JUN09K – Jinchūriki (U. Naruto)_

_**Examination Parses:**_

_**Physical Evaluation**_

_There seems to be a strange occurrence that can only be attributed to the Biuju. In spite of general lack of a regimented physical exercise and a studious diet, the body of the Jinchūriki seems to be maintaining an overall above average physical standard. Lack of muscular degradation, paling of the skin, deterioration of the skeletal frame etcetera is surprisingly non apparent. If anything, it appears the body is maintaining or becoming stronger I dare say…_

_Studies regarding the endurance and regenerative capabilities of the Jinchūriki body are coming to a close for the time being, on my return we'll move on to some form of mental stimulation and its variants…_

_On a side note:_

_He has once more gone under a catatonic state. I don't know whether to attribute this development to the Kyūbi or as the normal devolution of the mind into a state of schizophrenia in reaction to the high mental and physical stress environment he has been subject to over the course of these past 3 weeks._

_This development should warrant an increased observation timetable to note any possible shift in mental stability pre reconditioning._

_Permanent Reconditioning process set for…_

* * *

**2 days prior**

In the Shinobi line of work time was a fickle mistress—it never did relay a constant flow as one would think. The days would find themselves either long and drawn out without a thing in the world to occupy the mind or body or they were short, intense with the adrenaline production on overload and you primal instinct on full throttle. Spoken reference, common conceptions and sayings like tomorrow became as foreign as they were limited.

Tayuya was experiencing the former…

She stretched out, languidly extending her arms over head as she arched her back to relieve the tension from her stiffening muscles. It was panning out to be another one of those lifeless, dreary, flat days.

Another boring day…again…

Being a henchwoman for one of the, if not the, most diabolical men in history certainly seemed to have a lot of them as of late. Though the plotting, the scheming, the conniving and so forth were dastardly cunning and brutally exciting and time consuming, they did little to play upon her true interest and incite any sort of drive in her despite them being her forte.

"So….bored…," she said on to herself as she half heartedly turned on to her side, her limited patience at an end as her tired gazing of the sky through the ruffled and shaded canopy of the tree she was under ceased to matter and she allowed for a restless meditation too grab hold of her freelance mind.

She had neither a care nor duty in the world, and though she may claim boredom, there wasn't anything in the world that could possibly rob her of her desire to savor it.

Rest was sacred.

It was in this monotony that she heard the silent snap of a twig and the soft footfall of an intruder into her lethargic heaven. A calculated stepping that forcefully beat an unharmonious rhythm that shattered the peace of the world's orchestra that played the solemn tune of silence into her ear.

Closer, the disturbance converged upon her sanctuary, neither caring nor subtle their presence paraded around as it closed in, paying little to heed the Shinobi cardinal law of conduct in regards to stealth as its steps thundered against the ground it tread.

To the ears of the average person it was barely noticeable, a white noise that was heard but not acknowledged, a constant that was never truly present, and yet to a trained nin such as herself that sound, that mannerism of walking was deafening and it annoyed her to no small end when it came to a stop and the sudden sense of recognition registered in her mind before it spoke to her in an all too uncouth manner.

"Perhaps you could help me with something…Tayuya," a male voice coerced from beneath her perch as he sent a rather blank gaze up at her.

She drew a lazy smirk as she remained unflinching from her post. In spite of her disdain for this fool he was higher up on the pecking order then she but she couldn't possibly have cared less.

Otogakure was a village, though in truth the term was largely false, a face for those who even remotely cared, where general rules of manner and so forth were not particularly enforced and respect not necessarily shown when needed. Power earned respect and he'd yet to show it; at least to her.

"Mmm, you need to work on your stealth," she drawled lazily, pausing to yawn as she rolled back over and closed her eyes, "I could sense your perverted ass coming from a mile a way Kabuto."

"Yes well regardless of the fact quarreling with you about my abilities in stealth and guile was not my primary focus for the day; I've got a task for you concerning a certain someone at the Northern Hideout."

Tayuya opened a lazy eye and quirked an eyebrow at this, "your private little shit hole? What's the news? Lemme guess, molestation and rape gone astray? Out of guinea pigs and your looking for some fresh pink meat to spice things up a bit? Sorry to disappoint but I rather enjoy having a disease free body, last thing I want is for my morning piss to be the consistency and feeling of molten lava," she produced a rather devilish smirk at that as her mind shut down and she continued unabashed by her rough and unladylike mannerism.

"Why don't you go kidnap some other gutter trash tramp from somewhere else? I don't swing shit with the likes of you and your rotted meat bags, especially when it comes to going up there," she quipped casually with a rather devious smile. She loved picking at his nerves, even if her words rarely did more then to prolong a pointless argument she never won…

"I see your humor is as dry and tasteless as always," Kabuto replied evenly as he adjusted the frame of his glasses to accentuate his calm demeanor. It perturbed her lightly but it wasn't enough to ruffle her feathers, she'd hoped they'd gotten used to her rough mannerisms by now.

"Thanks."

"Anyway, we need someone to supervise and Orochimaru-sama has appointed you to the task seeing as you are the only one of the sound five adjutant available and most competent, though I use the term lightly, person readily available at the moment."

"Meh, I'll pass. I may be bored but going up there isn't something I really feel like doing," she retorted calmly as she retreated back into her daydreams.

"I don't think you understand your position on the matter, there is no 'option', there is only what I say and what you will do," he smirked as he felt the tension in the air rise, "while we are away on 'business' you are going to remain on temporary 'head warden' status in light of my absence too make sure no 'unforeseen' accidents occur," Kabuto countered sharply as he turned his back and began to walk away from her.

She immediately sat up, swinging her legs over the edge and fixing him with a glare. She hated being bored but she loathed the notion of having to spend any amount of time all the way up north.

"What about that jailor Karin? Or even Kimmi-"

"Like I said, we will be away on business and that includes Kimmimaro, Karin is the stand in medical superintendent while I am gone and will be taking up my position on other matters," he stopped in his track turning slightly to giver her a view of his profile as he spoke, "the other three of the five are deployed around on various missions as you are well aware, and seeing as you are the only one of, of how do you say, rank, readily available you will comply less I need to take you there personally for…'reconditioning'," he spoke in that monotonous tone that those who knew him knew declared finality.

A shudder ran down her spine and pricked the edges of her sense throughout her body. Reconditioning, especially that administered by Kabuto, was enough to send even the most stalwart of trained Shinobi into spiraling fits of madness and hysteria.

It was calculated torture, his most favored past time.

She'd been present for it once, it was a mandatory part of their acclimation into the fold that was known simply as the 'Sound' village. Needless to say you didn't live. That was a lie, your physical body would persist but everything else that represented you as the individual was erased, smothered in a twisted display of loyalty that was physically ingrained into your being one pain agonizing second at a time. It was brutally efficient.

"Tche," was the best she could muster as she brought her hand up to the back of her head rubbing the small of her neck, anything more could possibly denote a degree of personal pain she wasn't willing to experience…ever…

"We have a new tenant as well," Kabuto spoke once more as he came to a halt just in range for him to speak without having to strain his voice for her to hear. "Orochimaru and I personally don't want anything unfortunate to happen to him while we are away."

"Hah," she couldn't allow such a setup go unsoiled, "your new fuc-," she was abruptly silenced as a kunai whizzed past her head. The whistling of its passing hissed loudly as the tail end of its departed path displaced the air at her lips and grazed ever so slightly at the tip of her nose as a loud 'thunk' signaled its imbedding into the trunk beside her. A thin trickle of blood slowly began to seep down its bridge.

She flustered quickly, her anger getting the better of her as she jumped to her feet, fists clenched and a righteous glare burning hot in her eyes as she glared at the dagger…

"You mother fu---," but once more she was silenced as he stood there before her appearing from nothing and registering not even a hint of himself though he stood before her. Tayuya faltered in her defiance as the shadow of his ominous presence draped itself heavily around her.

It was suffocating, deadly, and strangely calm as his figure loomed over her, calculating, contemplative, analyzing. It was unnerving and she felt herself shift uncomfortably under his gaze as she took a defensive step back, her mind racing but far from rational as she tried to save a shred of her pride in a last desperate act of bravado.

"You pig," the force of her words saying more then the tone she was giving, "get the hell out of my f--," and within the span of an instant his hand shot up from its idle position at his side, grasping her by the throat and clenching firmly enough for her to feel discomfort but not enough to cut off the airflow, she yelped in surprise as he slammed her smaller form into the trunk of the tree that they now shared.

"You'd best watch your tongue," he spoke in a rather coarse voice as he watched her struggle in his grip; tiny hands pulling at that of a lion. He leaned in, his blank and unmoving face coming disgustingly close to her as the subtle exhale of his breath exiting his flaring nostrils sent a warm hiss in her ear before he spoke ever so softly but with such a subliminal undercurrent of malice it sent her body into a defensive struggle, "you're treading on thin ice," he was whispering now causing her futile squirming to intensify.

"You will do as I say and there will be no more questions, no more words, not even an acknowledgment of whether you agree or not, I have spoken and you will follow" he said as he released her from his grasp as she fell beneath him, legs buckling, unable to support herself as the overbearing presence that was Yakushi Kabuto hovered in her midst.

It wasn't the intent to kill, a blood thirsty aura of destruction that cowed her into a silent submission. No, it was its absence that truly shook her, that ability of his to impose himself on you without you ever truly knowing a thing, not even a hint of it—no vibe, no feeling, no threatening aura of impending doom, no murderous intent…nothing. Hell the guy didn't even smell of anything.

It was as if he was never there to begin with, a maddening void of nothing.

"You are to be there in 3 days time," he continued as he reached for the knife implanted into the tree, grasping it firmly and wrenching it free with a solid tug, "do nothing, observe and maintain order. Should an intrusion of sorts manifest itself, dispose of it regardless of its threat level," he pocketed the knife and fixed the frame of his spectacles once more.

She could do little, but gaze at him with a weak hatred, containing herself was the best she could do to prevent something utterly stupid from happening on her part. She was smart.

"We'll be back in ten days time as planned," he hopped down to the ground below as he spoke, ignoring her completely.

"Most everything else is outlined for you and were placed in your quarters—follow it. Whoever is there has been prepped for your coming, now you best get going, Karin is acting as an interim warden in your place right now and I'd like you to relieve her of those duties as soon as possible," he paused for a moment as he craned his neck to fix her with a dead gaze, "don't fuck up," and with that, in contrast to his arrival, he vanished leaving only the trail of upturned dirt and flattened grass in the wake of his apparent omnipotence.

Tayuya's gaze lingered in the spot of his shadow a moment longer, gathering her thoughts as she stared into the bleakness of the now empty woodland. She brought her hand to her nose, wiping away at the fragile line of broken skin, smothering of the finite trail of blood between her fingers as she slowly eased herself upright again.

She inhaled a deep breath through the nose and held it in her chest as she allowed her eyes to close and her mind to reel in back upon itself to study that wretched mockery of her character just a moment ago.

"Dammit!"

* * *

_**Date**__: Incarceration Day 032_

_**Attending Physician(s)**__: Y. Kabuto_

_**Patient**__: JUN09K – Jinchūriki (U. Naruto)_

_**Examination**__**Parses**__:_

_**Procedure(s) 70a**__: Continued experiments with minor limb amputation (organ removal): _

_**DETAIL**__: Planned amputation of the test subject's left index finger_

_**RESULT**__: Test subject is unable to completely restore a lost extremity, the left index finger in this case to be exact. In hindsight, the Jinchūriki's body is indeed capable of repossession of a discarded limb and able to once more relay connection and cognitive function to it if held within relative proximity to the body (within 1 centimeter)._

_Needless to say it should be assumed major limb and organ removal should yield similar results, though I dare say I may have a harder time procuring Orochimaru-sama's blessing for that. _

_Maybe…_

_End log…_

* * *

_**Back to the present**_

"Here it is," Karin spoke quickly as she fished out the last key of the set for the door.

"The hell are there so many locks on this door," Zaku, asked crudely as he continued to eye the young warden as she manipulated the steel to steel union, "especially for a kid."

"As I told you before, the only information I was given was that Orochimaru-sama didn't want anything to happen to this kid so if this is what he wants this is what he gets," she replied in a hurry as she turned the key on to its side earning her a loud 'clank' as the final lever opened.

"I'm just sayin' this seems a bit extreme, not like segregation got much better security then something like this," he noted casually eyeing the intricacy of the massive door that housed his current mission parameters. "I mean look at this damn thing, a five stage lock, warding seals, binding seals, silencing seals, the works."

Karin sighed mentally rolling her eyes as she gripped the handle of the door, pulling the lever up as the last of the giant dead bolts slowly slid out and rocked back into place with another loud 'clank'.

She turned to regard her 'escorts, the frame of her glasses sliding slightly down the bridge of her nose, "just be careful with him when I'm done. This is my first association with him as well and apparently he's in a fragile state and I don't want Orochimaru-sama's wrath raining down on me for some idiotic blunder I had no control over," she began as she steadily wrenched the massive door open which, in spite of its size, slid rather easily open as the aforementioned door set off a series of trip seal for the chakra charged lights that slowly flickered and hummed on.

"Once again, I don't wan--."

"Well shit, do you have any gloves?"

* * *

"_**Do you know what is going to happen soon; what happened the last time?"**_

The beast queried without even moving a muscle in its jaw but instead imposed its will upon the mind of his jailor. If nothing more he wouldn't waste his energy to speak to a creature that was below him. No, not in this realm of the boy's mind, he would make him listen…

The boy would hear his thoughts this time…

Naruto turned a tired eye from his corner of the room, a weary and far off haze in his eyes as he wiped away at the corner of his mouth and spit the last foul contents of bile from his mouth as he hardened his glare. It had taken several moments, but the sense of renewed calm and clear thinking had come to him quicker then he anticipated.

He'd been here before…knew this voice, this beast within, and yet…

"How am I supposed to know? What am I supposed to remember? There is nothing in here! NOTHING," he growled as he conjured up the most menacing and scornful look he could muster from his pitiful state of disarray on the floor.

The devil grinned, baring its massive maw of canines as he released a powerful breath, a sickly fog of hot, rank filth through out the room; his murderous eye widening in delight as a deep and boisterous chuckle emanated from him resonating off the walls and shaking the very ground on which he stood.

"_**972 days ago that elder human put a seal on you, do you remember where he put it and what it was for?"**_

"No, no, no, no…I don't know. I don't know. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

"_**The old human was a seal master but still that boy out there is an oblivious fool to have not found it yet. It'll be long gone before he gets back and you'll remember everything even if it breaks you! I'll make sure of that."**_

"Demon," Naruto spoke harshly as he rolled over onto his forearm easing his head back against the wall and closed his eyes to formulate his next set of words…

But he had gone silent…

"Why, why, won't you say of anything!? Why won't you tell me anything," he trailed off.

"_**HAHA the audacity of you putrescent scum grimly amuses me! Who are you to ask anything of me?! Wallow in your confusion and loathe me for my feigned ignorance."**_

Naruto sank further into the warm viscous cesspool beneath him taking a steady breath and a heavy sigh as he tried to calm himself. To think, for once, before speaking or acting on any emotion was a hard thing to do in the heat of such a moment, especially for one such as himself whose patience was as long and thin as a withered piece of yarn.

Think Naruto…stay calm…think…

Patience, the Third had once chided, was a pillar of martial genius however and whenever it was used. But patience had never come easy to Naruto, and even when it had its presence never lasted long lest a goal be set before his eyes.

He raised a hand to his brow rubbing at the moisture that had formed, smearing the gelatinous 'liquid' across the front of his forehead. Puzzled but not quite alarmed he placed his hand before him to examine the foreign substance, rubbing the warm muck between his fingers lost in his own thoughts…

"_**I grow weary of our time spent together, your presence hear sickens me and your idiocy grotesque,"**_ the demon's deafening roar rattled throughout the sizeable room, shaking and rippling the once still water and bathing the 'container' in a warm torrent of his foul rotted pant of dissension.

Naruto raised his weary sight from his hand to regard the brute just as the shimmering pool of fiery red essence that extended from within the cage caught his attention. The visceral liquid seemed animated, sentient in movement as it began to steadily boil and snake its way around him.

"_**Fear not, for if you will not take the first step towards redemption then I shall drag you there myself!"**_

Naruto's sights locked on as his senses went from dreary and disinterested into high alert in an instant as he made to jump to his feet. Yet as quickly as he stood was he resituated on the floor, trapped by the growing amoeba of power that had found its way latched on to him, suddenly leeching him of what little strength and stamina he had left in his already exhausted tank.

Helpless, powerless, defenseless…so many 'less' terms to use all of them applicable as the power that surrounded him, consumed him whole. Like a mighty python, it coiled around him, constricting its tremendous girth and sapping the strength from his limbs as it slowly began to overwhelm the carefully hidden portion of sanity he had stored away.

He couldn't breathe the power of demons too much to handle as he slowly felt the early onset of suffocation reach his lungs. Each futile gasp for air rewarding him with fire in his throat that seared his lungs and burned his mind to the power that entered as he convulsed beneath the influence of the omnipotence around him.

His legs wouldn't move, his arms wouldn't lift, but his eyes…his eyes could still see as they refocused themselves onto the beast within the cage in which the power was connected.

It began to retract slowly as the splayed out leash of power was drawn in closer to the gate before him.

He watched, as his vision began to consolidate itself into a veil of red darkness, easing him into submission as he was supplanted before the towering gate before him.

"_**I am in control…for now."**_

* * *

"Shi--, dammit," Zaku raged as the key in which to breech the lock on the boy's right arm slipped from his grasp, his hand slick in the blood of his charge already covered his hands and made the task that much harder.

"Why didn't you tell us the shit was gonna be like this," he snarled as he quickly bent over and snatched the key from the floor again.

Karin spared herself the trouble of having to look at the boy as she jotted down the last of her thoughts and evaluations before answering, "I'm not going to bother answering the same question again," she shrugged not turning to regard the revolting image again. The painful sight already branding itself on the forefront of her mind for the rest of her lifetime, she knew as much, and it took a monumental effort of her own resolve to not renege her duties right then and there.

_Poor child_, she mentally sympathized as she winced lightly at the rattling of chains and the incessant dripping and pooling of blood that threatened to send her over the edge and running out of the room hysterically.

She had thought she'd seen the worst the world had to offer, but this…this was beyond the scope of the extreme.

"Should we remove the helm," it was Dosu this time, his soft voice rattling her from her pondering as she turned to regard him.

"Excuse me," he responded with a light tap of his knuckle on the boy's steel incased cranium.

"No, no, leave it on," she spoke, trying her damnedest to stay civil and composed, "just take the neck clamp off and get him down to segregation lobbying chamber when you finish. I'll meet you down there after I get this stuff up to the lab," she hurried as she made her way to the door, the thick stench of blood overloading her senses threatening to send her spiraling into a fit of nausea.

"You got it," Dosu reached up behind the boy's head, easing his head to the side as he situated his arm between the crook of his neck and shoulder as he moved the boy's head aside and pulled at the clamp on his neck, easing the key into the lock when he felt it.. So sudden was the movement that he had not even a moment to recognize the instant tension in air pulled taut and wrapped around his neck

The hot, wet gout of his own blood that splashed out from his gut and onto his leg, soaking his pant leg in his own mortality as the protruding arm of his assailant found its way lodged in and through what used to be his untouched mid section.

The air turned to lead, heavy, as the sky began to fall in around him; dark black striations of vertical falling rain rose from the ground as the boy's head slowly began to turn under the pressure applied and regard him from behind the metal curtain.

It was when the captive eyes met captor did Dosu finally see what it was that was so unshakable about this child… Evil, he had discerned, evil was looking at him from behind that wall of steel as the two unrelenting and unblinking eyes of the devil gazed at him, crimson onto black he felt himself wither and falter under its monumental the glare of evil.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, but none of that mattered as the pressure of death weighed itself down on him and slowly began to asphyxiate him as the unchained beast before him rose from the ground, his arm implanted within him holding him steady as the darkness closed in and the only thing visible was his own violent demise.

His trembling breath, caught in his throat as the suctioning sound of foreign arm lodged within him intensified as he pushed ever deeper within him before grasping at the small of his spine and wrenching the…

"Hah! I got it," Zaku exclaimed as he looked over at his cohort, his demeanor quickly changed as he noticed his distress.

"Hey Dosu? You okay," he asked as he stood and made his way to him.

"Dosu," he tried once more, "hey you, answer me," he spat as he reached to grab the nin in question.

"Stay back," he croaked as he felt limply to the ground, his eyes widened his body language visibly indicating he was shaken, "stay back I said," as he lifted his newly fashioned melody arm and braced it with the other waiting to unleash its fury on all those present.

"Dosu, it's me! Zaku!" He tried as he raised his hands up in mock surrender.

"Don't fuck with me," he screamed weakly, perspiration drenching his now paled face as his eyes hurriedly scanned the room before quickly focusing in on the comatose horror in front of him, "get the hell out of the way," he roared at Zaku as he aimed his arm up, intent on destroying the beast before him.

"What?"

"I said get the fuck out of the way! Gonna kill this evil shit right here before he wakes up and kills us all!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Shut up! Just shut up and get the fuck out of the way!"

"What the hell is going on in here," Karin's voice shot as she entered the room, visibly flustered as she entered the cell, albeit begrudgingly, a second time.

"Dosu's gone mental," he retorted as he looked back at his partner in crime.

"Well," she replied as she eyed the brown haired boy kneeling before the bloody husk chained before him, "what's wrong with…" But she never finished as a sharp pain found itself implanted in her chest as she stuttered a moment as her vision had already begun to blur as the hot wet splash of moisture slapped suddenly against her face.

Her ragged breaths threatened to stop as their unsteady repetition barely filled her straining lungs as she dared not look down to see what possibly gruesome sight lay just beyond her field of vision. Her eyes began to burn, unshed tears threatened to spill as she tried desperately to hold them at bay. One blink, then two, then three four and five, she began in rapid succession, failing miserably as the hot trail of her own fear seeped steadily down her cheeks taking with it a heavy feel as they streaked and stuttered down.

She knew what this was…

_The intent to Kill…_

But never had she experienced nor felt one as potent or savagely primal as this, and never had it been so hard to break. No, this wasn't the normal intent to kill; this couldn't possibly have been human. She turned her eyes to the frozen image of the two moronic genin stuck in time, focusing on their faces stationary in the moment when the intent had befallen her.

She needed to clear her mind, to think of how to break this without breaking herself in the process. Karin began to concentrate on them when the sudden flare of radiant red caught her eye and her sights, if only for a moment, caught the swirling sight of chaos socketed behind the confines of that soiled mask on the chained boy's face.

A primitive trance took over her body as the ancient fury of death began to slide itself around her rational mind wrapping around her delicately exposed person and suffocating the life…until she blinked. Within that split second it vanished the boy in tow leaving behind the eviscerated remains of the two sound genin's ripped and shredded pieces behind as the only sign of their existence as the rest was spread violently against the blood soaked walls.

As for the assailant, gone with the wind with only the clambering of unhooked chains and the incessant dripping and the heavy thud of her soaring pulse rate rattling in her ears…

_Oh Lord..._

A tug at her chest again, and the wheezing inconsistency of her own breathing caught up with her once more as her mind blanked for just a moment and allowed her a moment to peer down.

_Oh Please, oh please, oh please no…_

Karin wanted to scream, 'bloody murder, bloody murder', she would have said but her voice had abandoned her, left her to contend and fight on her own against…this. This wasn't the intent to kill, she reasoned this was the death process, she was dying now! This was death, she surmised as she witnessed the bloody appendage known as her heart beat rhythmically in the blood drenched hand of her killer.

_KAI! KAI! KAI DAMMIT!!!_

Thump…thump…thump…she watched it hypnotically pulse in his hand as he slowly began to tighten his grasp on it. The pressure on her heart, the constriction, she could feel it as it got tighter and tighter and tighter…

_KA-aaaI!!!_

Thump, thump, thump, thump… First puncture was in the left atrium, she felt the hot searing stab of a thousand needles drop head first through out her body as she opened her mouth and let out a muted scream of pain as the tears began to flow quicker, harder, and hotter.

The devilish whisper was hot against the lobe of her left ear sending a resounding shiver down her spine as her attacker began to nuzzle her neck in a macabre sort of affectionate manner…

His breath was warm against her neck, hot, hurried, and impatient, as he gently began to nibble at the nape of the crook in her neck while doubly raising his corporal offering higher still yet till it was eyelevel with her own as she watched in morbid horror…

"No, no, no, no," she pleaded softly, forgotten was her decency and pride cast aside. "Put it back, put it back…please…" but her cry for mercy would fall on deaf ears as his grip finally tightened and crushed her bloodied spirit just inches from her face.

With one last soul dredging cry she collapsed and reality ensued once more in the silent domicile of the cell.

Zaku and Dosu in unison turned to regard the haggard scream of their superior in surprise as the rag doll motion her body took, joints unlocking and muscling loosening, as she fell unceremoniously into a heap of unconscious horror onto the ground before them.

"What the hell," Zaku was the first to speak stood up and walked over to his traumatized comrade.

"Its this shit man, it's this fuck right here in FRONT OF US," Dosu was hysterical now as he looked on, eyes twitching and head on a swivel as they moved in rapid motion from prisoner to victim and back again.

"Would you shut the hell up! Baggage man, everyone here is just full of some crazy shit," Zaku announced over his shoulder as he place his hand on Karin's neck to check her pulse…

"Man fuck you, I'll just…"

"Yea, yea, whatever," Zaku waved off the insult as he hoisted the comatose warden onto his shoulder, "Come on lets get her to the medical ward, we'll finish this later," he started with an impatient snarl as he made way for the entrance.

"Hey and shut the door while you're at it okay?"

…

"You hear me? Or are you still letting that crazy get to," he turned only to stop his tirade mid sentence at the sight before him. He couldn't tell if his eyes were lying to him or if what was happening before him was real till the blood curdling muffled scream of his partner reached his ears and wretchedly pungent odor of smoldering flesh filled his nostrils.

His eyes lay witness to power, of an origin unknown, pulsating freely now as the 'boy's', if that was what he truly was, sizeable paw gripped itself firmly on his colleague's face, melting flesh under the heated wave of red chakra that now seeped from every pore and flooded the room with a presence not at all human. Dosu's frantic clawing, his smothered wailing, doing little to win over mercy in his assailant as he felt himself lifted from the ground.

"Holy shit," was all Zaku could say as he dumped his charge onto the ground without a second thought, catching the attention of the violent 'thing' as his head turned sharply to regard the disturbance, watching him through the eyes shaded as of blood onto the moon, before turning back to flailing victim in his grasp with a guttural hiss.

"Piece of shit, don't disrespect me" Zaku growled raising his bandaged arms together as he directed the weapons within his palms at his foe as he began channel the necessary amount of chakra to execute his maneuver. He had to focus though; first time always was the hardest, as he briefly closed his eyes and concentrated…

It was the primal roar of the predator within that snapped his conscious and caused his focus to waver as the dull thud and pained grunt of his friend's (though he used the term lightly) carcass as it slammed against the far wall of the cell. The beast turned on him, his vision cemented behind that metal veil that was meant to 'contain' mental stimuli and disrupt the flow of power through the seventh gate proved little more then a menacing contraption hoping to hide the uncertainty of a man's inability to comprehend the savage nature of the natural world.

The clanking of the chains brought him forth from his mental daydream as the tightening tension on each link shook violently with each powerful tug of his arm. The sound of the straining steel on steel as the material was bent and stressed against the pressure as he gazed at him eye to eye.

Zaku's composure had come to him once more as the sound of concrete smashing onto linoleum shook him from his hypnosis and awe was replaced with panic as the boy keeled over at the waist, driving both nail and flesh through the solid surface of the ground and gripped and pulled to free himself from his confines.

Zaku leveled his sights and pointed his hands at the loosely chained prisoner as the steady sound of suctioning air grew slowly at first from a gentle hiss to a full blown vacuum of power as it mixed in with his own chakra within the cavity in his shoulder.

_Zankuukyokuha_, it was the premium, the cream of the crop, the best attack he had in his arsenal and the reason for the surgery in his arms to implement the titanium bit of tubing. A devastating concoction of his own chakra infused with the air around him to release a directionally focused deadly wave of super concentrated airwaves and supersonic sound into an area leaving nothing behind but the shredded aftermath of his fury. It was his lord's greatest gift onto him and one he would make full use of…

Damn the consequences of destroying his master's pet project, he knew his actions here today at this moment and preserving the life or lives if Dosu was still alive, would prove exponentially more useful to Orochimaru-sama's will then any twisted endeavor that lived within the recesses of this desert outlet…

_Yesss_…his eyes snapped as one of last bindings of the chain was ripped from the wall and the boy's outstretched back muscles elongated in feline motion as he began to pull at the last restraint…

"This is it for you demon," ugh, he mentally winced at the poor choice of words, but it mattered little as a sinister sneer stitched its way across his lips before he began his glorious summit to the top…

"ZANKUU--," the unleashed abomination of predator instinct roared in furious opposition as a heated blast of crimson chakra burst forth from his body and a momentous kick of energy snapped the last chain from the wall, whipping the mangled steel forward and cratering into the far side of the room. Almost instantaneously he had covered the small distance between them with a single tremendous leap of raw muscular power. Lunging forward with his hands spread wide and a murderous glint raging behind the metal grate atop his head did he bare down on him before his titanic grasp clenched around his adversaries exposed hands and cinching down with bone shattering force. A menacing glare from within the darkened metal helm permeated the air as a hot jet of superheated air was exhaled, pluming just out from his mouth in spite of the warmth of the room.

Zaku was, to say the least, caught off guard by the sudden rip in reality. Whoever this was was turning out to be a force to seriously be reckoned with—but not one that could overwhelm him. No the great him was not to be treated as some secondary power before this. He grit his teeth and glared, ignoring the creeping sense of insanity in his mind and shutting down all rational thought as he refocused his energy to the task at hand. He would overcome power with a greater power and this fool would be his first victim, as without even the slightest inclination to a pause he resumed his attack…

"Zankuukyokuha (Ultimate Air Slicing Blast)," he roared as he forcibly expelled the stored energy at 100% devastation against the pressed palms on his…and yet the power, the force, the energy everything had gone wrong as the massive jet waves of pure unleashed chakra ripped through his vision in all directions as the whipping sensation of fresh blood streaked its way across his face. The sickening sound of bursting flesh echoed down the hall and the resulting torrent of power destroyed all that was behind him before smashing into the far wall eliciting a thunderous crack at the end of the hall.

Zaku's grip on the boy weakened, falling away and to his side limply without control as they swung at his sides and dangled like old willow branches. He glared at the victor, what little emotion left in his now broken mind vanished as he slumped to his knees and prostrated himself, although unwilling, to his fate.

His Shinobi career was over; he knew it before the sound of the crumbling rubble off in the distance behind him had started to fall and pile on the ground. He glared at his opponent, the one who had snatched his dreams, his desire, his purpose away from before it had truly ever begun.

The beast watched him fall, noting with a feral grin, although hidden, the sight of ripped and torn flesh along the length of his arm as the specially modified 'gift' of his splintered its way through the soft tissue along the length of his forearm with a detestable gurgling sound as a steady sputter of blood and sinew leaked forth from gashes in his skin by the protruding tubing.

He swayed from side to side, his equilibrium visibly off as the massive pool of blood beneath him took its toll on his body and he felt himself slowly begin to lose consciousness. Zaku didn't would never admit, never cry out in pain and show weakness even before his executioner. No the searing pain that rocketed its way through his now useless arms was a temporary discomfort and not worth the hit it would be to his pride before he ascended into the afterlife. He would not kowtow just before death, as his body steadily slumped forward and onto the ground.

The Kyūbi sentient Naruto eyed his fallen victim with disgust as he raised his bare foot and placed it squarely on the temple of his prone casualty with little remorse as he slowly began to apply pressure…

"Fuck you," was the last words that Zaku would ever speak in this life or another…

* * *

Tayuya tugged roughly at the wind torn cloak that had fallen down around her shoulders, covering her exposed skin from the abrasive wind and the shining sun as she peered through the dust laden outskirts of the desolate northern wastes.

"Worthless land," she griped, as she raised a hand to her brow blocking the renewed vigor of the dirt kicked up by the gusting wind from her eyes as she entered the valley of towering stone spires in which the northern hideout was hidden.

She spied the obscure entrance, buried beneath the shadow of one the massive stone mesas. The closer she got the more the overwhelming sense of unease took hold of her. It wasn't a sense of dread or disdain but one of, though she would never dare admit, the slightest hint of panic and a hidden trepidation as she bore down on the darkened hollow…

She reached within her garb and removed her salvation in the form of a steel flute, clutching it tightly in her grasp as she stood just on the outer steps leading in to the deadly chamber, noticing as soon as she did the gravity of the situation…

It was quiet; the only sounds were that of her slowly increasing pulse as her heart began to beat faster and her breathing hitching within her throat in slow in consistent huffs and wheezes…this overbearing feeling. This deafening silence, she knew all too well what this was as her knuckles began to turn white and she cautiously entered deeper into the northern hideout…

Death was in the air…

* * *

**Author's Note**

Sorry I didn't update sooner (that is quite an understatement). I just wrote one draft then deleted it and then just worked on this one day by day. No excuses from me just procrastinated and got very little done, I am the proto typical type to start strong and meander off onto other things when I should really stay focused, hence the self imposed procrastination title. Note to self for chapter IV: stay focused.

**ON the Nine Tails Fox**

Don't read too much into Kyūbi's actions or expect him to do anything like train or be Naruto's friend or adopt him or some convoluted agenda of a proposed Demon Lord. As much as I detest Kyūbi/Naruto interactions in fiction there was no way around how I was going to progress the story without that bridge, so while he is a major character his role is implied rather then cast. There will be none of the popular "KIT" business in this story, if I were to sum it up in one phrase.

**Title is the name of a song and album by a progressive rock band (no lyricist a.k.a. singing) called God is an Astronaut

**Terminology/Clarification for **_**Here am I, Send Me**_:

**Allograft**: A transplant in which transplanted cells, tissues, or organs are sourced from a genetically non-identical member of the same species (I.E. Human A to Human B)

**Hypovolemic** **Shock**: a particular form of shock in which the heart is unable to supply enough blood to the body. It is caused by blood loss or inadequate blood volume.

**Septic** **Shock**: a particular form of shock caused by decreased tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery as a result of infection and sepis, though the microbe may be systemic or localized to a particular site.

**Acute** **Hemolytic** **Transfusion** **Reaction**: A transfusion reaction due to ABO blood type incompatibility. It results from rapid destruction (Hemolysis) of the donor red blood cells by host antibodies.

_** (Note: Hyper Acute reactions are a fictitious creation of my own imagination)_

Once again place any questions, suggestions, compliments and reviews in the form of either a review or a PM. I read them all and am thankful for each and every one of them…

* * *

**Sneak Peek:**

Chapter IV: _Exsanguination_

_There were only a few seats in there, no more then ten or twelve from my count in all, splayed out across the whole of the room with a single chair in the middle. Bolted and tied to the ground, I wasn't sure if it was for killin' people or for judging them but I knew right then that day that that chair would be mine to sit in for one reason or another for a long time to come…_

Thank you reading and look forward to Chapter IV!!!

**-Ark12**


End file.
